The invention relates to novel prostacyclin derivatives, a process for the preparation thereof, as well as use thereof as medicinal agents.
Prostacyclin (PGI.sub.2), one of the primary factors in blood platelet aggregation, has a dilating effect on various blood vessels (Science 196:1072) and thus could be considered as an agent for lowering blood pressure. However, PGI.sub.2 does not possess the stability required for a medicinal agent. Thus, its half-life at physiological pH values and at room temperature is merely a few minutes.